Start A/C today

Good luck today Cindy!

Hope all went well for you.  I didn't have this chemo cocktail. Mine is Herceptin taxotere and perjeta. It is harder this time around then it was the first time. But do-able. Good luck I wish you no side effects.

I had them together every 21 days, lost all my hair but about 5 little bunches on days 13 -14.  Had treatment on Friday, was sick Friday through Monday, but went to work on Monday thru Thursday.  My treatmenst were 5 1/2 hours from where I was living.  I had Dr. Appts every Friday for 16 weeks, to check blood counts, get shots, or chemo.  It was in 2002 and they were not so advanced with the anti nausea as they are now.  My insurance would only approve 8 pills due to cost for all 4 treatments and I used all of them with the first one....  so I smoked a little and made brownies which actually took care of the nausea better than anything else. 

With this bout, I have been on 4 chemos and only one made me nauseated the first time I got it, and when I told my nurse the next week (I was on weekly chemo), she had not given me anything the week before for nausea so she added it and it made all the difference.  It is amazing how much they have come with controlling this now.  I have the hardest time with the Xgeva shot!

Best of luck to you,

hugs and prayers.

Snowkitty said:

Thank for your Comments

I am especially trying to keep up on the nausea meds so maybe it won't hit so badly.  I have one pill to swallow and one to put under my tongue.  That one is discusting!

Thanks, Cindy

cocktail --  here is what I found at chemocare.com

The following side effects are common (occurring in greater than 30%) for patients taking adriamycin:

Early: (within one week after treatment begins)

• Pain along the site where the medication was given
• Nausea or vomiting

Later: (within two weeks after treatment begins)

• Low blood counts. Your white and red blood cells and platelets may temporarily decrease. This can put you at increased risk for infection, anemia and/or bleeding.

Nadir: Meaning low point, nadir is the point in time between chemotherapy cycles in which you experience low blood counts.

Onset: 7 days
Nadir: 10-14 days
Recovery: 21-28 days

• Mouth sores
• Hair loss on the scalp or elsewhere on the body (called alopecia). Most patients do lose some or all of their hair during their treatment. But your hair will grow back after treatment is completed.

The following side effects are less common (occurring in 10-29%) for patients taking adriamycin:

Early: (within one week after treatment begins)

• Eyes watering
• Urine may appear red, red-brown, orange or pink from the color of the medication for one to two days after you receive a dose.

Later: (within two weeks after treatment begins)

• Darkening of the nail beds.
• Darkening of the skin where previous radiation treatment has been given.
• Problems with fertility - ability to bear children. (occurs in about 10% of both men and women - this should be discussed with your doctor prior to therapy).

A serious but uncommon side effect of adriamycin can be interference with the pumping action of the heart. You can receive only up to a certain amount of adriamycin during your lifetime. This "lifetime maximum dose" may be lower if you have heart disease risk factors such as radiation to the chest, advancing age, and use of other heart-toxic drugs. Your doctor will check your heart function before you may take any adriamycin and will monitor your heart closely during your treatment. Dose-related heart problems can occur as late as 7 or 8 years after treatments have ended.

Delayed effects:
There is a slight risk of developing a blood cancer such as leukemia years after taking adriamycin. Talk to your doctor about this risk.

This list includes common and less common and important side effects for those taking adriamycin. Side effects that are very rare - occurring in less than 10 percent of patients - are not listed here. But you should always inform your health care provider if you experience any unusual symptoms.

When to contact your doctor or health care provider:

Contact your health care provider immediately, day or night, if you should experience any of the following symptoms:

• Fever of 100.4° F (38° C), chills (possible signs of infection)
• Blistering at the IV site
• Shortness of breath, wheezing, difficulty breathing, closing up of the throat, swelling of facial features, hives (possible allergic reaction).

The following symptoms require medical attention, but are not emergency situations. Contact your health care provider within 24 hours of noticing any of the following:

• Mouth sores (painful redness, swelling or ulcers)
• Nausea (interferes with ability to eat and unrelieved with prescribed medication)
• Vomiting (vomiting more than 4-5 times in a 24 hour period)
• Diarrhea (4-6 episodes in a 24-hour period)
• Fast or irregular heart beats
• Unusual bleeding or bruising
• Black or tarry stools, or blood in your stools or urine
• Extreme fatigue (unable to carry on self-care activities)
• Swelling of the feet or ankles

Precautions:

• Before starting adriamycin treatment, make sure you tell your doctor about any other medications you are taking (including over-the-counter, vitamins, or herbal remedies).
• Do not receive any kind of vaccination without your doctor's approval while taking adriamycin .

DebbyM said:

Good luck Cindy!

Good luck Cindy!

How are you doing on chemo Cindy?

Hugs, Jan

Snowkitty said:

Thank you ladies Now about Neulasta

The actual A/C went well, nausea/vomiting as expected.  But boy that Neulasta shot hurt like a son of a gun.  Never had a shot hurt like that. Is that normal?

 

Cindy

So sorry Cindy that you had the nausea and vomiting.  I hope this is the last time it happens for you.

Hugs, Noel

Noel said:

So sorry Cindy that you had

So sorry Cindy that you had the nausea and vomiting.  I hope this is the last time it happens for you.

 

Hugs, Noel

I don't know if that is normal for the shot or not Cindy as I never had chemo.  Just hoping you are feeling better.